


The Calm After the Storm

by cunzy4



Series: Tick Stuff [1]
Category: The Tick (TV 2017)
Genre: AKA The Boys Contemplate the Future (TM), Arthur is an anxiety bean as usual, Gen, Post Season 1, Sad discussions, The Tick is oblivious but he's trying his best people
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-20 22:09:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17630600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cunzy4/pseuds/cunzy4
Summary: After The City has been saved and peace has been restored, Arthur has to have a long talk with the Tick about what to do next.Takes place immediately after the end of season 1.





	The Calm After the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> So I just finished (finally) and this was in my head, so I had to write it. Nuff said.

The dust had only begun to settle over The City by the time Arthur managed to extricate himself from his mother’s suffocating hugs and set off for home, Tick at his heels. The camera crews on the scene had asked both of them for a “supplemental” interview regarding Superian’s single-handed victory over both the V-L-M and the Terror, which Arthur awkwardly bowed out of and allowed the Tick to command the interviewers’ attention with a long-winded and dramatic soliloquy about justice. Arthur, well… he just wanted to get home and forget any of this had ever happened.

Not that forgetting would be easy with the armored hero that currently (and always) followed him around like a giant blue puppy. Why the Tick had chosen to latch on to Arthur, he’d never know, but he did know that he’d never get rid of him now whether he wanted to or not.

Arthur barely managed to stagger up the stairs to his apartment before the last traces of adrenaline abandoned him and his knees buckled at the door. The Tick, vigilant as ever, caught him on his way to the ground and helped him over to the couch.

“Thanks,” Arthur mumbled as he sagged into the cushions and pulled his helmet off with trembling hands. He ran his fingers through his helmet hair, damp with sweat and dust from the explosion and subsequent rough landing.

The Tick hovered in his field of vision, looking concerned and confused.

“Are you… feeling alright, chum?” he finally said. “I’ve never defeated a supervillain before, but shouldn’t we be out celebrating in the streets with the rest of the populace? We could have at least let your dad take us for ice cream.”

“He’s not my dad,” Arthur said automatically. “I… I just… I can’t.” He tugged off his gloves, leaning over and burying his face in his hands as the familiar panic overtook him. Suddenly there was no air in the room, why was there no air, the giant hole in the wall should be providing plenty of it, why couldn’t he _breathe_ …

A heavy hand patted his shoulder awkwardly. “Uh... Arthur?” the Tick said hesitantly.

“Tick this is insane! I c-could have died, Dot could have died, I don’t know why I did any of this,” Arthur cried out, his body shaking uncontrollably. “I never wanted any of this, I didn’t want the Terror to kill my father, I didn’t want to be the one who had to stop him, I’m just a regular guy, I have no business being around people like _you!”_

The Tick looked vaguely hurt. “Of course you do, Arthur, we’re partners! I provide the brute strength and charismatic good looks, and you bring the brains, high-tech super suit, and occasional comic relief. We’re the perfect team! That's why we were able to take down the Terror And I know we’ll be ready to face the next threat to The City with our heads held high and our trademark panache!”

“No, Tick!” Arthur burst out. “I only wore the suit to save my own skin, I only stopped the Terror for my own selfish reasons, I didn’t even want to confront the V-L-M after I knew it c-could blow me up! This whole time, I’ve wanted to do nothing but run away and hide!” Tears leaked down his face as he turned away from the Tick, trying to hide his weakness. I c-can't do this, Tick. I can't keep pretending to be a superhero. I- I'm not like you.”

Arthur stopped with a deep gasp that turned into a gulping sob. He felt the couch shift and threaten to break in half as the Tick settled down next to him, patting his back comfortingly.

“Of course you’re cut out for this, Arthur,” the Tick said gently. “Destiny called, and you answered like the mighty moth you are! She calls you like a flame, Destiny, and you are forever drawn to her enticing glow.”

“Tick, can you please stop with the destiny for just five minutes,” Arthur said miserably, still struggling to catch his breath.

But the Tick, in full-on monologue mode, was not to be stopped. “We do not pick and choose our fates, chum, they pick and choose _us!_ Arthur, you are more cut out for this line of work than anyone I’ve ever met in my admittedly short memory. Just look at you! You foiled the Terror’s dastardly scheme, rescued the world’s first superhero, and even saved the dog on that bus! Remember saving that dog?”

Arthur shook his head. “Tick, I did what I had to do because my family was in danger and I- I couldn’t stand the thought of watching them die like my dad. I was terrified the entire time. I’m not as strong as you think I am.”

“You’re right,” said the Tick after a long minute of silence. “You’re even strongerer!”

“That’s not even a word.”

“You faced your fears and did the right thing even though you were frightened! You, my friend, have more bravery in your little toe than I do in my entire body, Arthur. I can face danger head-on because I’m nigh invulnerable! You, on the other hand, stood down the Terror with a gun to your head without flinching, even though he could have turned your brains into so much Swiss cheese without batting an eye.”

Arthur flinched at the reminder of how close he had come to death right then. A gun pressed against his forehead, the Tick’s frightened face in the background, alone against a cold-blooded killer. Just like all those years ago when he’d watched a ship full of blind heroes crash directly on top of his father, he knew that that was a moment that would be burned into his mind for the rest of his life.

The Tick was still monologuing obliviously. “Heroism runs in your family, too! I don’t know what your sister and Overkill were doing during the B-story, but I’m sure it was quite a tale for their kids to hear someday.”

The thought of Dot and Overkill having children was enough to throw a wrench in Arthur’s spiraling thoughts. “Tick, they are not a couple. And Dot is not going to do hero stuff!”

“She infiltrates, Arthur. You’d better get used to it,” the Tick said wisely.

Arthur sighed heavily. “That’s not the point, Tick. I can’t do hero stuff anymore. I did this for- for revenge, I guess, and because it was the right thing to do. But I can’t turn this into my life, Tick. I’ll die. Do you understand me? I will _die._ ”

The Tick still looked confused.“You didn’t die this time,” he pointed out. “Who’s to say the great authors of your fate will end your story so soon?”

“I only survived because you were protecting me,” Arthur said. “You even wanted to take my place detonating the bomb if only the suit had fit you. If it wasn't for you, I'd have been dead meat way back at the pier.”

“And? Did someone tell you I won’t be protecting you next time?” The Tick looked like his brain was overheating. “Was it that robot? Did he say I was leaving? Was it Karamozov?” He grabbed Arthur’s arms tightly enough to cut off the circulation. “Don’t let them lead you astray, chum. I won’t leave my sidekick in danger as long as there is breath in my body!”

Arthur squirmed uncomfortably. “Tick, let go of me. And I am not your _sidekick_ , I’m your partner.”

The Tick grinned in triumph. “So you admit we’re partners!"

Arthur sputtered. "Wait, I didn't mean-"

"Does that mean we can start saving The City again? I’ve got a great idea for a patrol regimen to keep a watchful eye out for evildoers.”

Arthur opened his mouth, paused, then closed it again. “You’ve got me there,” he finally admitted. “I… okay. I guess we can do the patrol thing, but we have to wait a week or two until my apartment is fixed first. I can’t live with a giant hole in the wall.”

“Phenomenal!” The Tick leaped to his feet, nearly catapulting Arthur off the couch. “We’ll start bright and early tomorrow!”

“Wait, no, I said-“ Arthur tried to protest, but the Tick had already bounded out of the room. “Ugh. Fine.”

He leaned back into the sofa, pressing his hands against his eyes and mentally making a list of what he’d need from the store tomorrow. He was still trembling slightly, but the expected panic attack had been somehow averted by the Tick’s reassuring presence.

He guessed he could get used to this.

The Tick popped his head back into the room. “Also, Dangerboat left you eleven messages on your answering machine. You’d better get back to him. He worries.”

Arthur just groaned.

**Author's Note:**

> I grew up on the cartoon and I feel like this is a worthy sequel of not-ruining-my-childhood quality. Also Overkill is my favorite and I ship him and Dot big time.


End file.
